


A Necessary Sham

by BettyHT



Series: Rett and Sierra [2]
Category: Bonanza
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-08-06 16:45:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16391405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BettyHT/pseuds/BettyHT
Summary: The fate of the Paiute in Nevada hangs on the testimony of Adam Cartwright and what he remembers and is willing to tell about the attack on Egan Station.





	A Necessary Sham

A Necessary Sham

Chapter 1

Tied to posts with wood being piled around you watching the young Paiute bringing torches and only waiting for the tinder to be set so they could fire the piles and burn the three men alive had fired his mind into overactive imagining. Adam Cartwright knew what was coming no matter how much he hoped that there could be a miraculous rescue. However, with sixty young Paiute in control of Egan Station, he didn't think there was a chance he was going to live. What he did think was that he was not going to scream and beg for his life no matter how much they poked him and taunted. With their faces filled with hate all around him, memories of his humiliation during his captivity with the Paiute wars filled his mind and made him almost as angry as these young men. He had tolerated so much, and in the end, none of it had mattered. Therefore, here, he wanted to die with some semblance of pride knowing that nothing he did would make a difference except in how he was viewed and how he saw himself. Knowing how difficult that was going to be though, he let his imagination conjure up what would happen to him trying to prepare himself and his resolve to endure it in silence before dying. At one point, he even managed a small smile as he realized he wouldn't suffer any more nightmares like those that had plagued him since his release over two months earlier. Memories of the night before returned when Joe had come into his room to wake him from a nightmare.

"Adam, wake up. You're having one of those bad dreams again."

"It's nothing. I'm fine."

Brusque to the point of being rude, Adam had tried to brush off the concern his youngest brother had by acting as if nothing much had happened. If Joe had thought to bring a lamp with him, he would have seen a different story though because he would have seen his oldest brother drenched in sweat and slightly pale. Grateful that he had not, Adam simply wanted Joe to leave. Once that was done, the self-recrimination started.

"I could have thanked him. Of course, then he would have wanted to talk, and what would I say? Joe, they laughed at me. They made the butt of their jokes. They enjoyed scaring me and seeing the fear of dying in my eyes because I couldn't tell the difference between the ones who meant what they said and those playing a game with me. No, I couldn't tell him all that."

Knowing his pride was what had been damaged the most and pride kept him from telling his family the details of his ordeal, Adam mostly suffered in silence except for those times when his father or Hoss or Joe came in to wake him from a nightmare. Ben Cartwright would have probed and probed if Adam had answered even one question about his captivity so he kept silent. He wasn't going to mention the Paiute warrior who spit in his food and would have done worse except the leaders stopped him. For quite a while, Adam had refused to eat the food because of that, but eventually hunger and the desire to survive and hopefully do some good overcame his disgust and his pride. He ate the food. That had been one of the hardest things to do especially with the derisive comments and the laughter from everyone including the women and children. No one in the camp saw him as a brave man once he did that. They didn't understand the courage it took for him to do what he did.

There were times too when a knife was held to his throat, his eyes, his belly, or his privates sometimes pressing in hard enough to draw some blood. Snarling inches from his face, the young men including Young Wolf would tell him how they would kill him by disemboweling him and leaving him to die slowly or how they would cut his throat and let him bleed out. They enjoyed telling him all the ways they could kill him, and the longer he was there, the more they embellished the methods they thought they might use. As long as he was not seriously harmed, the leaders let the torment continue. He carried a lot of small cuts and numerous bruises when he finally escaped. When he returned home, he hid almost all of that from his family so they wouldn't ask so many questions. They saw the scabbing on his throat and bruises on his arms and face. He told them enough to explain those leaving a clear impression that was all that had happened to him.

Fear of what they might do to him and tied to a post, Adam had found that he couldn't sleep more than a few hours each night. Sometimes he fell asleep at other times when members of the tribe were busy and ignored him. However, when he returned home, he was exhausted and slept many hours every day. The more he slept though, the more the nightmares tormented him much as the Paiute had. He found peace hard to find. Instead he began to work hard every day trying to exhaust himself enough to sleep without nightmares. It worked some nights.

Watching his oldest son try so hard to adjust to being free and being alive, Ben knew Adam was holding a lot back. He didn't want to push him though because Adam would talk when he was ready to talk. First with sleep and then with work, his son tried to escape the memories. Ben knew a lot about what Adam had probably suffered because he had lived in the west as long as Adam and knew the kind of treatment captives received. He was aware that Adam was lucky to be alive and rejoiced in that as well offering up prayers of thanksgiving each night. He hoped that Adam would open up to Hoss so he tried to get the two working together as often as feasible, but each day, Hoss walked in and shrugged when he saw him.

Taken captive in the first Paiute War on May 12 and escaping just before the second Paiute War in late June, Adam had been severely affected. Ben had seen captives held for shorter periods of time in Nicaragua who had not recovered. His son was a strong man and he had to believe that Adam was going to be able to adjust but it was taking all of his energy to do so. Ben had talked to Hoss and Joe to try to get them to understand what was happening. They had never seen anything like it and were impatient for Adam to 'snap out of it' as Joe called it. Gradually as they saw how he was affected by the nightmares that he dismissed as bad dreams, they were realizing how serious an issue this was. Joe had even asked about how he related to his brother.

"Does that mean we shouldn't tease him and talk like we usually do?"

"No, you need to treat him as normally as possible, but you should always remember that he has a very short fuse right now with a lot of turmoil right below the surface. If you see him about to boil over, do your best to back off and let him vent if he has to do that without it turning into a big fight."

"We don't wanna fight with Adam, Pa."

"Hoss, I know you don't, but Adam is itching for a fight. He wants to strike out because for so long he couldn't. I'm asking that you don't give him an opportunity. He'll work his way through it in time. But he needs quite a lot of time. He was gone a long time so you can't expect him to recover in a few days or a week. It may take a month or two."

Joe whistled at that news and Hoss raised his eyebrows. Neither had any experience with someone suffering the aftermath of such a situation. Ben reminded them of a somewhat similar situation in their community.

"Remember Janie Smithwick after she was rescued from the Apache who took her on a raid. Her family moved up here because she couldn't stand to live where Apaches lived. Even here, she was scared of the dark because the raid occurred at night. They had to keep a lamp burning all night long at their house. Now that she's married, I wouldn't doubt that she still has a lamp burning all night long even if she turns it down low."

"But she's a woman, Pa." Hoss blurted that out without thinking. He wished he could take it back a moment later.

"Fear isn't something only held by women. Every hour of every day that Adam was there, he had to fear for his life. I can only imagine the torment they put him through while he was in their camp. After all that happened, they would not have treated him well."

"He only had those scratches on his neck and some bruises."

"Joe, you know your brother better than that."

After only seconds, Joe nodded. "Yeah, how much more did he hide from us?"

"Exactly, and how much more is he still hiding and trying to handle all by himself? We've seen the condition of his wrists so we know he was tied the whole time."

"Dadburnit, I'm guessin' we know why he's been havin' so darn many of them nightmares then."

That conversation had gained valuable time for Adam to continue to heal without any additional pressure from his brothers. Ben appreciated how they were observant of Adam's changes in demeanor and adjusted their behavior to prevent any altercations and keep things on an even keel at home.

Of course, Ben had taught his eldest well how to hide his feelings when he was struggling with problems because he knew how to do it too. To make things easier on his sons, Ben didn't let them know he was having trouble sleeping too. Nightmares or as Adam called them, bad dreams plagued his nights frequently as much as they bothered Adam. After that first battle, he had thought Adam was killed and that image of his son being struck down was burned into his memory. Every day Adam was held, Ben suffered with him worried about what was being done to him and how he must be suffering. Ben imagined far worse tortures than what had happened, but he knew Adam had suffered physically, mentally, and emotionally. His bad dreams were usually scenes of terrible things being done to his son as he sat by helplessly unable to do anything to stop the torment. As Adam's nightmares continued and Ben could do nothing to help his son, the same feelings plagued him. He wanted to do something to alleviate his son's misery and protect him, and it didn't matter how old he was. Being age three or thirty didn't change a father's feelings. So, when Adam said he needed to go to Carson City to take care of some business, Ben didn't want him to go.

"Pa, I'll be careful. There's an army unit sitting on the south end of Pyramid Lake and regular patrols."

"That may be true, but they're causing as much trouble as they're preventing. The Paiute can't get to their usual fishing and hunting areas. They're starving. That will make them angry and probably desperate."

"Hungry and desperate will hardly make them want to go up against the Army rifles when all the Paiute have are bows and arrows and spears. They lost over one hundred on that last battle. The Army claims it was one hundred and sixty, and from what we saw, that could be true. The chiefs aren't going to risk any more of the young men against the Army and their rifles and cannons."

"The chiefs may not risk it, but there is always the chance that the young men may go off on their own."

"I'll be careful, Pa. You can believe me that I don't want to spend any more time in the hands of the Paiute about now."

The trip to Carson City had been uneventful and after concluding his business, Adam had headed toward home expecting to be there for dinner. He didn't make it. As he neared Ponderosa lands, he spotted a large party of Paiute young men. He turned to flee, but they had spotted him too and knew he would summon the authorities to move against them. They intended to raid homesteads and small ranches for food so no people needed to die, but they weren't going to let Adam get away. They set out on a chase to catch him. He knew that Egan Station, a Pony Express stop, was close enough for him to seek refuge there. It wouldn't offer much, but there would be four walls and a few allies at least. If they caught him, what his mind sent him in nightmares was likely to be his fate. He rode hard, but it wasn't enough. The Paiute numbered about sixty and overwhelmed them at the station. Adam and the two workers would have been killed immediately except the Paiute were hungry, and besides loading up the provisions and ransacking the station, they demanded that the three men cook for them and bake more bread. It wasn't much of an alternative to immediate death, but it was all they had. Hoping that there might be a miraculous rescue, they cooked food and baked bread until the Paiute were satisfied.

Unfortunately, their efforts did nothing to satisfy the blood lust the young men had nor did it soften any of their animosity toward Adam. They dragged all three outside and tied them to the posts of the corral and began piling wood around them. They seemed to get happier and happier as they did so until they was a significant amount of wood piled around each man. Then they realized they needed tinder and had to gather that. Adam remained silent even as the other two men begged for their lives and offered to cook more and bake more and do anything else the Paiute wanted. Adam didn't bother telling the two that they were sealing their fate with such begging because he didn't think anything they did was going to make a difference anyway. He said some prayers and hoped the fire was exceptionally large and hot because dying slowly by fire was going to be excruciating. He was thankful at least that the Paiute had not thought of that when they piled the wood so generously around him. After they placed tinder all around, the men went to get firebrands from the stove in the station. As they ran out of the building, hooting, and holding the lighted firebrands aloft, Adam closed his eyes steeling himself to his fate. The other two men destined to share his fate stopped their incessant begging and yelling. It was quiet except for the yells of the Paiute about to light the fires and then the blessed refrain of that cavalry bugle sounding charge.

Note: The Battle of Egan Station did occur in August of 1860 when Paiute attacked the Pony Express station there. They did ransack the place for food and made the two workers there bake more bread. A Pony Express rider who saw what was happening rode back to summon an Army patrol he had passed, and they returned to attack the marauders just as they were about to burn the two workers alive. The size of the two groups and the casualties mentioned are accurate according to published accounts. The rest of the story is fiction.

Chapter 2

A cavalry lieutenant led twenty-five soldiers in an attack on the Paiute raiders who were young, disorganized, and inexperienced in larger scale conflicts. It was also rifles against primitive weapons so it was no contest. Quickly three of the Paiute were killed and twelve were wounded as the others retreated en masse. The Paiute had forgotten about the three men they had planned to burn alive, but the three were nervous with all the wood still stacked around them and the tinder in place. It wasn't until the Paiute retreated and the soldiers removed enough of the wood to release them that they could finally breathe more easily. They had survived the encounter with bruises, abrasions, and nothing more. Although they had prayed for divine intervention, all three were curious as to how their miracle had been delivered. The lieutenant explained.

"We passed the regular Pony Express rider several miles from the station, but we were headed in another direction. He saw what was happening here and rode back to get us. It took him some time to find us, but we rode directly here as fast as we could once we knew what had happened. I'm glad we were in time."

The two station workers were almost too much in shock to speak so Adam spoke for all three. "Lieutenant, I think I can speak for all three of us and say not nearly as glad as we are. Will you stay here tonight?"

"Yes, we'll set a guard perimeter and pursue that group tomorrow. We can't let them continue roaming around out here and raiding for food. Mostly we have to be sure they don't get any more weapons. Can I assume they took yours?" Adam had to admit they had gotten his pistol and rifle. "I wish that had not happened, but we'll see what we can do about getting those back soon enough before they're used to kill whites." The young lieutenant showed his disapproval, and there was little Adam could say. He had let himself be captured and his weapons taken because he had not been careful enough. Anticipating what his father was likely to say as well, he chose to remain silent when the lieutenant had his say. "I'll send a man to Fort Churchill to let them know what is happening, and I'm sure they'll send out an additional patrol. I won't be at full strength because I have to leave some men here to guard the twelve prisoners."

"What will happen to them?"

"I'd like to shoot them, but the usual thing is to disarm them and escort them back to their lands."

"They only wanted food. They're angry because their people are starving to death. It must be horrible to watch children die."

"You sound like you feel sorry for the savages who were about to burn you alive before we rode up and stopped them. Would you have felt that way if they had dropped those torches on the tinder when they saw us come over that rise? You know they would have if there had been any experienced leader here."

"It's a moot point."

"Yes, but still an important one. You're welcome to stay here until we've located the rest of that band, but please refrain from talking to my men the way you spoke to me. They have all lost friends to these savages. We've got a wounded man here who may not survive. They wouldn't appreciate your way of siding with them."

"Lieutenant, I don't side with them. I understand why they do what they do. That's a long way from approving of their methods or their ends. But I don't approve of the policy of purposely keeping them from their food supplies so that they starve. Many women, children, and old people have died because of that. What crime did any of them commit other than being Paiute?"

"And how many women, children, and old people have been killed since the first Paiute War? How many were mutilated beyond description? What was their crime except to live where the Paiute raiders rode. Don't ask me to have any sympathy or understanding for people who would do that."

"Like today, lieutenant, they will always lose more than we do."

There was nothing more for the two men to discuss for they had no common ground. Grateful that Sport had been left behind when the Paiute retreated, Adam took care of him and spent the night within the protection offered by the soldiers. Saddling his horse in the morning, he was startled when the Paiute attacked again. It was a brief skirmish involving mostly the soldiers on picket duty who were concealed well and from cover, fired on the Paiute. Another Paiute was killed and three more were wounded and taken into custody as the others once more retreated. A rifle and pistols were recovered from the dead man and the wounded who had led the attack. Those belonging to Adam were returned to him by the lieutenant.

"I hope you can keep these from the hands of the Paiute."

"I'll do my best. Thank you for everything."

With that, Adam mounted up and rode for home in the opposite direction of the retreating Paiute. The roundabout way of traveling home took longer but meant he would have no more hostile encounters. When he arrived home, his father rushed outside to welcome him wondering why he was late. Ben summoned a hand to take care of Sport. Knowing his father would hear the story soon enough, Adam decided he ought to tell him everything that had happened. However, once he started talking, it seemed he couldn't stop telling his father about the plan to burn him alive as well as everything else that had happened at Egan Station. He left nothing out. By the time he finished, his voice was barely more than a whisper.

Shocked not only by what had happened to Adam but also by Adam talking about it so much, Ben realized that his son was at a critical stage. While Adam had talked, he had sat down beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. Although he wanted to wrap his arms around him and comfort him, he knew that wouldn't be welcome at this point. He wasn't sure what to do but knew that an Adam who was revealing so much was also a man who couldn't take much more at this point. Standing, he walked a few steps to the side table and poured a brandy for each of them before making a suggestion.

"Son, I doubt you slept much last night. Why don't you go upstairs and rest in your own bed until dinner? You must be tired."

When Hoss and Joe returned, Ben told them everything Adam had divulged so that he wouldn't have to repeat anything. They expected Adam at dinner, but when Hoss went to check on him, he was sleeping soundly laying across his bed.

"He's still got his boots on, but he don't look like he's about to wake up anytime soon. Musta been plumb tuckered out."

"I think he was not only by what happened but by everything." Ben stared at the second floor as if he could see through the wood.

Following his gaze, Joe knew how worried he was. They all were. "Pa, the nightmares were getting to be less frequent. Do you think this will make things worse again?"

Shaking his head, Ben knew what he expected but hoped it wasn't true. "We can pray for him, but I'm worried for him. This has to be a difficult thing to face after all he went through. To have that wood piled around you and see them carrying out the torches to light it." Ben shivered involuntarily at the thought that one of his sons could have died so horribly. "I find it difficult to believe the Paiute would do this. Adam was such a friend to them. He's always done more than anyone for them. Don't they know that?"

"Pa, when folks get so mad, I guess they ain't that different than whites who only see red skin. They only see white."

"When does all this hate stop?"

"When we kin see each other as regular folks and not as one color or another. I'm thinking in another hundred years, they could still be struggling with this."

"Hoss, I pray it doesn't take that long."

"Hoss may be right though. With all the greed and selfishness there is, people like to look out for what they want and not care about what others have. I may not have been such a good student, but I paid attention, and it seems all through history, things like this have been happening."

It was a somber evening as all three waited to see if Adam would come downstairs. He didn't until the next morning when he made a suggestion that shocked them.

"I think we ought to drive some beef up to the Paiutes, and I mean a lot of beef."

Outraged, Ben got red in the face and had to control himself so he didn't yell. Even so, his voice had an edge when he answered. "I can't believe you want to gift beef to the people who were going to murder you two days ago!"

"Pa, it makes sense if you think about it. They were hungry and their people are starving. The troops stationed at Pyramid Lake stop them from going anywhere near any white settlers. However that means they can't travel to where they usually forage, fish, hunt, and trap. Soon, the weather will get worse and they won't have provisions for the winter either. It could get even worse then. Either they will kill a lot of whites as they plunder white homesteads and ranches for food or the Army will move on them and annihilate them."

"Pa, Adam's making a good point. Ifn we was to feed 'em, they'd stay home and nobody'd get kilt. We could save a lot of lives on both sides."

"I agree with Hoss and Adam, Pa."

"I don't like it, but I can see your point, and I'll bow to your vote this time. But there's one condition. I don't want Adam to go up there. They've got too much anger at him and I don't want some young buck to decide to make a name for himself by killing Adam."

"Me and Joe kin do it, right Joe?" Hoss looked over at Joe hoping he would agree quickly because he saw the dark look Adam had. He hoped that by cutting their father out of the deal too, peace could be maintained in the family. Joe picked up on the strategy and did agree.

"Yes, I can go see which men are willing to go with us. You three decide how many cattle we're taking. I'll have the men saddle up the horses and ask Hop Sing to pack provisions for us."

Joe was up and gone before Ben could lodge an objection. Outmaneuvered at every point, he had to concede. It was enough to get Adam to smile a little. Hoss saw it and relaxed. When Ben saw it, his first inclination was to be angry but then he realized it was what he wanted to see too. He smiled at Hoss.

"Well played, son. You're getting better at this."

With Cartwright beef to eat in the Paiute camp, the leaders were able to keep the young men at home and the raids stopped. The fortification at Pyramid Lake was abandoned and the soldiers moved to nearby Fort Churchill. With the return of peaceful conditions, the prisoners the Army were holding in a large stockade were released too. It had been the intention of the Army to release them when they could so there had been no record kept of who was there or of the individual offenses each may have committed. With trouble brewing between North and South in the east, the Army didn't want an Indian war in the west even if it was a small one. Once the Paiute were pacified and the area settlers felt safe in their homes again, the Army reduced the size of the garrison and no longer had regular patrols out looking for groups of Indians. A somewhat uneasy peace settled over the region.

Although Adam's nightmares were worse again for a time with the visions of dying by fire, peace brought them slowly to a small number until his family thought they had ended. They never did, but they were less severe and far less often. His solution of working hard from early in the day until quitting time nearly every day was part of the reason though. Most saw him as getting more serious as he matured and never connected the more stoic, serious man with the experiences of that summer. Not even his father realized the connection as it had developed over months. Adam gave up wearing his red shirts and white shirts that were so easy to see and wore mostly black or navy blue. It made him nearly impossible to see at night and difficult to see as soon as he took cover during the day. Although uncomfortable in the hot sun, he learned to ignore that in favor of the protection the clothing offered when trying to hide from an enemy.

In time, Adam recovered emotionally and mentally from his experiences or so he thought and so did his family. None of them realized the damage that had been done and would never fully be healed until he was tricked in the desert by the madman Kane. Once more a captive and brutalized, he came close to that mental and emotional precipice again, but his strength of character allowed him to overcome the obstacles and emerge from it again. However, more damage had been done, and the nightmares were back and worse. It took quite a while for those to diminish but they did, and again his family thought he was healed, but the damage was still there. Three times, he had escaped but he had not vanquished his foe on any occasion. He had needed help each time. On the outside, he appeared assured, confident, and even intimidating, but on the inside doubts, fears, and insecurities assailed him.

Eventually, his wanderlust and his desire to be free of the fear led him to leave the Ponderosa to do some traveling and exploring in the world. He was happy when he traveled and the memories of that horrible summer as well as the experience that brought it back when Kane tormented him faded away. The dreams never ended but he seldom worried about them because none of those could hurt him any more.

Chapter 3

The dreams were worse than ever but at least they didn't come to him so often any more. The heat was intense as the skin burned, blistered, and peeled away. It was usually at that point that he awakened realizing there was no pain and the fire and the burns were in his imagination. It had been hard not to imagine it at the time. Tied to posts with wood being piled around you watching the young Paiute bringing torches and only waiting for the tinder to be set so they could fire the piles and burn the three men alive had fired his mind into overactive imagining. He knew what was coming no matter how much he hoped that there could be a miraculous rescue. However, with sixty young Paiute in control of Egan Station, he had not thought there was a chance he was going to live. The one thought that dominated his reasoning was that he was not going to scream and beg for his life. He had been humiliated enough during his captivity with the Paiute that he wanted to die with some semblance of pride. Knowing how difficult that was going to be though, he had imagined what would happen trying to prepare himself and his resolve to endure it in silence before dying. He had not died of course, and in each of these dreams, he came to that realization and awoke in a cold sweat with his heart pounding. Getting back to sleep after each of those bad dreams was nearly impossible.

Because of his resolve to suffer the torture in silence, he usually suffered the bad dream in silence too. Sometimes, he must have called out or made other sounds alerting those in nearby rooms. They would knock on the wall or come to his door to wake him. Usually by then, he was already awake and would call out that he was all right. Embarrassed, he would try to make excuses the next morning if anything was said. His family understood but as he traveled, strangers sometimes looked at him as if he was afflicted with some strange malady. When he met Sophie Daniels and helped her, she traveled with him to San Francisco by a circuitous route as he made a few side trips which suited her purposes well too. That did mean they spent quite a long time together though, and she was nearby several times when he had those bad dreams. It was the first time anyone had done that since Adam had left home to travel and satisfy some of his wanderlust and to get away from the source of the dreams as much as he could. Eventually she questioned him about the bad dreams. At first, he dismissed her questions with his usual evasions, but her persistent concern disarmed him. The next time she asked, they had just begun a trip by ship from Nicaragua to San Francisco, and he told her the whole story. When he finished, she had one question.

"What did you mean that you wouldn't let yourself be humiliated like when you were a captive of the Paiute, and who is Kane?"

So, Adam had to tell her about his captivity during the Paiute Wars being taken captive during the first battle but escaping just before the second. Because he had already told her so much, he had no reason to hold back and told her what happened to him during the time he was held and how he felt that he might be killed at any time.

"I had nightmares about that for a few months until I what happened at Egan Station in August. Somehow, that changed how I saw my time as a captive. I suppose facing death so directly made that other time seem less of a trial."

Shivering even though it was hot and humid aboard the ship, Sophie was clearly shocked at what he had endured. She knew Adam as a well-dressed and well-mannered businessman and traveler. He had always been such a gentleman, so law abiding and courteous almost to a fault that she could not picture him in such a predicament. Adam smiled gently.

"It is true. Thankfully, it turned out well for me."

"I don't know how you can say that turned out well."

Shrugging, Adam had only one thing he could say. "I'm alive."

"You haven't told me about this Kane person."

Sighing, Adam pursed his lips. He began the story simply. "I made one large mistake and followed it with another."

"You're not going to blame yourself for someone harming you, are you?"

"I guess I shouldn't, but if I hadn't made those mistakes, I wouldn't have been harmed."

"That doesn't make it your fault that they harmed you. It's like me saying I deserved the abuse my husband did to me because I married him and didn't see what kind of man he was when I did that. Yes, I made a mistake, but he's the one responsible for what he did to me. It's not my fault. Now, you've been telling me that for months. Are you going to turn around and say that line of reasoning isn't correct? Because if you are, you're a hypocrite!"

"Now what do you really think?"

Sophie couldn't hold her serious demeanor after that. They both laughed softly.

"Yes, Sophie, you're right. I should accept that although I made mistakes, those men were responsible for what they did to me."

"Now, tell me what they did."

So, Adam told her the story of being robbed in the desert and being left to die by the outlaws. Then he told her how he stumbled into Kane's camp and made a deal to work for him for a few days in return for the use of his mule so he could get out of the desert. However, Kane had gone back on the deal and forced him into working a worthless mine for meager rations until he was nearly exhausted. After fighting Kane for the last food and water, he escaped only to come back to drag the man out of the desert too although Kane didn't survive the ordeal. In effect, Kane had killed himself although not by the means he intended which was to force Adam to kill him.

Thinking about all who had died did put things in perspective. No matter what he had suffered, he was alive and otherwise unharmed except for his memories. Guessing that there were many others who would have gratefully accepted that result helped him accept what had happened so many years after it had all occurred.

"Thank you."

"Thank me? For what?"

"All this time, in many ways, I was feeling sorry for myself. You've made me understand how lucky I am."

"I don't know how you feel lucky, but I'm glad I could help."

Her smile made him smile. After sharing that story, it was easy to share other stories of his family and what had happened on the Ponderosa. Eventually he even told her how he had arrived in Nevada and how the Ponderosa had been built. On the ship for a couple of weeks gave them a lot of time to talk. Sophie found the stories of the shenanigans of his brothers to be the most entertaining. By the time they reached San Francisco, she thought she knew Adam very well and their friendship was even stronger. As they approached the docks in the harbor, Adam made a suggestion.

"If you want to finish the separation from your past and your husband, it's time for you to start using another name. He is going to have a very difficult time following you with the traveling we've done, but if you start using a different name here, it may be impossible for him to find you. You came on board this ship as my guest with no name. He has no idea where you went. Once I arrived in Managua if he even followed me that far, there is no record of anyone being with me. I paid people well to not notice you. It will cost him a small fortune to find out information."

Surprised or even shocked that he would have done that, Sophie didn't know what to say at first. Finally, she decided she had to make the most obvious offer. "I should reimburse you for those expenses. I never meant for you to have to use your funds to pay for my escape."

"There's no need. I have plenty of money to use. If I ever need any help paying for anything, I will ask."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Smiling, he looked out over the waves.

Intrigued, she had to ask why he was smiling.

"My brothers always did that. If they wanted to be sure of me, they made me promise."

"Why?"

"Because I always keep my promises."

"You miss them, don't you?"

"I do. I didn't realize how much I would miss them, but I'm headed home now." Abruptly changing the subject, he returned to a less emotional topic. "About your new name."

"What name should I use?"

"Any name you want."

"What was the name of those mountains where you live?"

"Sierra Nevada."

"I like that. I like the name Sierra. I think I'll use that."

"As a first name or a last?"

"First name. I guess I need a last name too. How about Free? I could be Sierra Free."

"Everyone would know it's an alias."

"I suppose that's true. It would draw attention. I need something less obvious." Frowning, Sophie thought for a time. "How about Sierra Moore?"

"Sounds good. Now how did you arrive at that?"

"Well to be free means to have more independence, more ability to do what you wish, more chances in life, more of everything, and Moore is a longer version of more. More would be an odd last name and draw attention, right?"

"You're catching on to this very well."

"You said your brother Hoss liked to say you were sneaky. I can see why he said that, and you're teaching me to do that too. I need that skill so I'm very grateful."

With that, the ship docked, and Adam escorted her to a carriage, and once they had their luggage, to a hotel. He got a nice set of rooms, and she got a room close by. The plan was that he would introduce her to a number of people he knew in the city and eventually she would get money wired to a bank by her brother. She would invest that money and be able to live comfortably. Meanwhile, she had some cash and she had her jewels. They were at dinner one evening when Adam got a telegram from his father.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to take you to the Ponderosa to meet my family. Things are stirred up there about matters that could get very ugly. I need to avoid going home for now."

"But you were so looking forward to doing that."

"Yes, well, the welfare of others sometimes has to take precedence. My friends here in the city will help you as much as you need. I need to book passage out of here for a bit. Perhaps I shall go visit my uncle in the Sandwich Islands."

Signaling their waiter, Adam paid for their dinners and asked for transportation to be brought to the door for them. Without wasting time, he escorted her back to the hotel.

"I'll be packing up tonight and heading out in the morning or even tonight depending on the tides. You have the names of several friends of mine and my cards. You've met a few, but you can call on any of them for help you may need. The staff here at the hotel will help too. I'm sorry I can't help more, but there are many others who require me to do something very important right now."

"Thank you for everything you've done. I hope to see you again when your new quest is completed. I trust you, but can you trust me and tell me why you're leaving so abruptly?"

"Some corrupt businessman has used his influence to reopen the issues of Egan Station. He wants the Paiute who killed that soldier to be tried for murder. They didn't keep records of who they took into custody so they want me to identify who was there. Apparently, he heard I was coming home and set this all up."

"Why would he want to do this?"

"To stir things up enough to get the Paiute moved out of Nevada."

"Why?"

"To get their land, what they have left."

"And you won't help him."

"The Paiute have lost enough. I won't help anyone who wants to take anything more from them."

"If you leave the country, the Paiute are safe?"

"At least for the time being. He may have another scheme, but at least I won't be part of it. My father had written to me many months ago about Josiah Weed and his attempts to get Paiute lands for their timber and mineral wealth. I didn't see this coming though. Perhaps he only concocted the scheme when he heard I was coming back or I fell neatly into plans he had already made. Either way, I won't be part of it. I want to be part of building things, not destroying them."

That was how Adam left. Sophie didn't see him again, but his luggage wasn't gone the next day and the hotel manager asked her about that. She told him that Adam had planned to buy passage on a ship the night before and should have collected his luggage for the trip. After contacting one of his friends, she found that they were worried too after she told them the story. One went with her to the various booking offices and none had sold him a ticket out of town. It was at the fourth stop that they got a hint of what might have happened.

"A tall gentleman approached here last night, but a group of men came up to him and scuttled him into a wagon. It didn't look like he wanted to go. Next thing you know, one up and tapped him on the head with a billy club. He didn't fight back no more after that."

The friend asked what kind of wagon it was.

"Why, a paddy wagon of course."

After some time, Adam's friends were able to use their influence and connections to find out only a bare minimum of information and all was ominous. It seemed he probably was that man who was abducted and taken to a jail as an unknown detainee who was collected by the Army that morning and transported to a riverboat for a trip to Nevada from what they could discover. Sophie knew that was the last place he wanted to go. She bought passage to follow, and when she was questioned about it, she said she was going to tell his family what had happened. After making arrangements for Adam's things to be shipped to the Ponderosa, she packed a bag and began the trip there too.

Chapter 4

In Carson City, Josiah Weed couldn't have been happier because his plan was coming together quite nicely. He had anticipated young Cartwright's reaction perfectly. Josiah's father had always told him to know his enemy so he had done all he could to learn about Adam Cartwright and knew the young man wouldn't willingly do anything that would harm the Paiute. He had learned too that Ben Cartwright would do everything in his power to protect his sons so he let Ben know what he was planning to do. As expected, Ben sent a wire to his son to warn him. Josiah had already paid off the telegraph operator to give him a copy of the telegram and to where it was being sent. It gave him the exact location of Adam Cartwright and when he arrived in San Francisco. He sent his own wires to his people to follow Adam and alert the authorities when he made plans to flee so they could take him into custody. He received a wire the day after Adam was handed over to the Army. It said Adam had been taken into custody but injured. Josiah considered that was for the best. Perhaps after gave up the information that he needed, he could pay some people to make sure he didn't interfere with the rest of his plans. One less Cartwright in his way would pave the way for him to eventually acquire the Ponderosa too.

It had cost him nearly a hundred thousand dollars so far to bribe enough Senators and Representatives as well as officials in the War Department to get the process moved along this far. He had a lot invested and no action was too extreme as far as he was concerned to recoup that investment and make the hundredfold profit he expected once the Paiute were gone. He had thrown all of his ready resources into this and would be nearly ruined if it failed. He was a ruthless man though even if his appearance was more of someone's kindly uncle. He was blessed with a short, round stature, rosy cheeks, blue eyes, a high-pitched voice, and a pouty, small mouth. He couldn't intimidate a child much less an adult. He paid people to do that for him. In his mind, everything worth having could be purchased including women. He knew they were with him because of his money and assumed beautiful women were with other wealthy men because of their money too.

When Josiah saw Sophie Daniels arrive in town two days later, he admired her from his hotel room window wondering what rich man owned her. Instead of course, Sophie was headed to the Ponderosa. When she got there, she expected an interrogation and got one. Ben walked outside to meet her carriage clearly concerned because he hadn't heard back from Adam and that a stranger showed up on his doorstep.

"Mister Cartwright, you don't know me, but I'm a friend of your son, Adam, and he's disappeared. From what I could find out, he was taken into custody by the Army, but I couldn't find out where they took him. It was all very secret, and they acted as if they didn't want to talk about it."

"Miss, what is your name?

"I'm Sierra Moore. You can call me Sierra." Even as she said it, Sophie felt a little odd. She guessed that it made it sound as if she wasn't using her real name, and of course, she wasn't.

"What do you mean we can call you Sierra?"

"It's complicated, but the most important thing is that I have news about Adam."

"Perhaps it's complicated, but you need to tell us more of the story if you want us to believe what you say about my son."

Taking a deep breath, Sierra looked around at the Cartwrights. Ben with his dark brown eyes and piercing gaze, Hoss with those sky-blue eyes looking concerned about his brother but wary too, and Joe clearly suspicious of her. She knew from Adam's stories that these men had been betrayed by women often enough to have a healthy dose of skepticism for any woman's story especially a woman they didn't know.

"I'm married to a husband who was abusive and planning to kill me. He said as much to me. My father was quite ill, and my husband let me know that I probably wasn't going to survive my father by much. He hurt me a few times and made enough threats to others that I didn't know where to turn."

"Why would he kill you after your father died?" Hoss asked but both Ben and Joe anticipated her answer.

"My father is a wealthy man and owns a major business enterprise. When he dies, his children inherit. As a woman, my husband would have legal rights to whatever came to me while I was married to him. My brother's life was not worth much if nothing else changed. He would probably have met the same fate at some point. I'm married to a monster. It was Adam who suggested a way out of the mess."

"You and Adam?"

"It's nothing like that. He worked on a building project for my father, and I got to know him through that."

"He was working?"

"Yes, he knew my brother in college and they met in New York at some gentleman's club. My brother needed someone to do a project and Adam seemed intrigued by doing that kind of work so he hired him."

"I suppose he liked the idea of reconnecting with an old friend too."

"Yes, they did spend quite a bit of time together. I spent a lot of time with Adam during the day. I had to help my father because of his illness. I did all the writing for him so I was present for all business meetings. At every meeting, Adam was so considerate of my father and kind and thoughtful, and I when I had a broken arm, he didn't accept the story of how it happened. He didn't believe my husband's story that I am clumsy and have lots of accidents."

"Sounds like our older brother, doesn't it, Hoss?"

"Shur does."

"I found I could talk to him, and I finally had someone in whom I could confide the whole sordid tale. He listened but then did much more. He went to my father. Then he told me the plan he had suggested to my father. He was nearly done with the job he was doing, and he would take me with him when he left and make sure I got to a safe place like San Francisco where I could start a new life. I was to tell my father to take me out of his will and leave his entire estate to my brother. My husband would get nothing and my brother would be safe as well. He said that I should take whatever valuables I could carry easily and my father should give me some cash for a few months."

"Why would you need to go so far away?"

"My husband is a cruel and vindictive man. He would want to get revenge on me if he could. Remember, he was willing to kill me to inherit the estate and be rid of me. To kill me for revenge would be a simple matter for him. I had no idea of the man I was marrying when I was young and he seemed a charming businessman. However, he wouldn't expend too much money or time on seeking me out because he's also greedy and selfish. He'll have me declared dead for disappearing or he'll divorce me on the grounds of desertion. Either way, I'll be free of him. It doesn't matter to me."

"How will you get money from your brother?"

"At Adam's suggestion, I set up a code with him. I'll send a telegram with that code and my new name and address when I have one. He'll wire money to the bank I designate. I'll be able to invest that and live comfortably on the proceeds."

"Dadburnit, that Adam shur does know how to put a plan together."

It was enough for them to accept her for the time being especially as they had lost contact with Adam and he was overdue. They would evaluate what she said and get an idea of whether to believe it or not after they heard it.

"That does sound like my son. Now what do you know about what happened to him?"

"We were at dinner and he got a telegram from you. He said he had to leave and might go visit his uncle in the Sandwich Islands. I don't know if that's code for something but that's what he said. He went to book passage and that's the last I saw of him. The next morning, the hotel people asked my why Adam hadn't taken his luggage. I looked and it was all there. I went to the friends of his that I had met and then to one, a lawyer, that I hadn't met yet. Adam had left information and a letter of introduction for me. We checked out the ticket offices and found one where they said a man had been forcefully taken. They checked into it and it sounded like it was Adam but it was all done very secretly. He was put on a boat upriver to Sacramento and there were tickets purchased for travel by train to Nevada. We don't know exactly where."

"The Army has him." Ben sat down heavily then knowing Adam would refuse to cooperate and what would happen when he did.

"Pa, what will they do when Adam won't give 'em the names?"

"They can keep him locked up until he does. They could ship him off to a federal prison if they want to do that. There's no appeal for that either."

"There must be a way to appeal it!"

"Joe, it's contempt. They can hold him indefinitely. In fact, they can hold him until he talks. We could try to use political pressure, but we know that Weed has more of that than we do."

"Weed?"

"I'm sorry. Perhaps Adam didn't mention the name. That's the man who's behind this whole scheme."

"Yes, he told me, but why would he have more influence here than you do?"

"Because he has a lot of cash and he's used it to buy as many politicians who are willing to be bought. We know the Army doesn't want to stir things up with the Paiute. They're happy the way things are. They're being pushed into doing this by the politicians." Joe was angry and every word was spit out.

Ben put a hand on Joe's shoulder. "Yes, putting these Paiute on trial will stir things up and will probably mean some raids in retaliation. That will be cause then to push for the Paiute to be removed. Weed will then get all the land he wants. We can lobby for the Paiute but it likely won't do any good."

"Dadburnit, Pa, seems ta me, the first thing we gotta do is see about Adam. We gotta find out where he is and how he's doing. She said he got a rap on the head. It ain't the first one he's ever had. We should find out if he's all right, shouldn't we?"

"Yes, of course, you're right. There shouldn't be any reason we can't see him and make sure he's all right." Turning to Sophie, Ben smiled. This young woman had shown courage and loyalty. He had to wonder at her feelings for his son, but at this moment, he was grateful for what she had done. "Do you have a room in town?"

"Not yet. I was in a hurry to let you know what I knew and didn't want anyone to intercept what I had to tell you."

Suddenly Ben knew how they had found Adam. He gasped and Hoss and Joe both moved toward him and asked if he was all right.

"Yes, I'm fine or I will be. I wondered how they had gotten to Adam, and when she mentioned that, I realized I was played by Weed. He told me what he wanted from Adam knowing I would warn him. When I did, he found out where Adam was by following the wire. It's my fault."

"It's not your fault, Mister Cartwright. One thing Adam has taught me is not to blame myself when others do terrible things. They are at fault. You did what a loving father would do. He took advantage of that to do his dirty work."

"Thank you. But we are going to have to be more careful knowing he's playing us. Now, will you stay here with us as our guest? We have plenty of room."

"Thank you. If it's not too much trouble. I am tired. It's been a difficult two days."

"You figured that out about the telegram I sent, didn't you?"

"Not by myself, but Adam has some very smart friends. They thought it would make more sense for me to travel here to tell you the whole story which would be hard to do by wire anyway."

Looking at his sons, Ben asked if one would take care of the carriage and one would take Sierra's luggage to a guest room. She reminded herself that they would be calling her Sierra knowing she was going to have to get used to hearing that name. Hop Sing had heard enough and had dinner ready for four that soon after. At dinner, Ben asked which son wanted to accompany him to Fort Churchill which is where he assumed Adam was being held. Both wanted to go as did Sierra so they agreed that Ben and Hoss would ride ahead and Joe would follow with Sierra in the Ponderosa large carriage.

When Joe and Sierra arrived at Fort Churchill, Ben was still with the fort commander arguing that he ought to be able to see his son who was in solitary confinement. Eventually he conceded that they could have a short visit. It was just after a junior officer came into the office and handed him a note.

"He hasn't been communicating with us though. Your visit will be monitored and anything he says may be recorded. Only you and one other may go in. It's not the occasion for a family reunion. You will have ten minutes."

"That's fine. I just want to see him."

It wasn't fine, of course, but Ben needed to see his son so he wasn't going to do anything to antagonize the man who was in charge of that decision. When he got outside the office and saw his sons and Sierra, he thought it best if Hoss went with him to see Adam. Joe explained to Sierra when Ben and Hoss walked away with an escort to see Adam.

"Hoss was always the best at reading Adam. If he says he's fine, Hoss will have the best idea if it's true or not."

Joe and Sierra settled in to wait for news.

Chapter 5

Once Ben and Hoss got to the cell where Adam was being held, they weren't at all happy with what they found. Adam was on a bare bunk with no blanket. He was laying on his back and had no pillow. There was a guard outside his door who unlocked it for them and then stepped inside with them and the escort. Ben moved to sit beside his son, but the two soldiers said he was not allowed to have physical contact. He was upset with that because it was clear to him that Adam was hurt.

"Adam, son, are you all right?"

"What? Huh?"

"Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

"What?"

"Son, you have a bandage on your head. Are you hurt?"

"What? It hurts."

"What hurts? Does your head hurt?"

"You hurt."

"No, I'm not hurt, son. You're the one who's hurt."

Adam rolled over and put his arm over his head. He didn't respond to any more questions. The officer who had escorted them there seemed satisfied.

"Well, it's good to know he talks the same way to you as he does to us. He won't eat or drink anything either. He only lays there."

"Pa, he's hurt bad."

"A head injury?"

"Yep, I don't think he knew it was you. He thought your voice hurt. It was too loud. Try talking softer. We still got a little of our ten minutes left."

Slightly above a whisper then, Ben called Adam's name. Slowly, Adam responded and rolled back to look at them. He blinked and blinked and seemed to have trouble seeing them.

"Pa, I don't think he knows who we are."

When Adam spoke, it confirmed to Ben and Hoss what they suspected. "Who are you? How do you know my name? How does everyone know my name?"

The officer with them swore under his breath. Ben turned toward him.

"My son needs medical attention. He should be in the infirmary under a doctor's care and not in a cell."

"We're done here. Time's up."

Hoss wanted Ben to say more but Ben held up both hands to silence him. They walked out and said nothing more. Once back with Sierra and Joe, Hoss asked him why he said nothing more.

"They just found out their star witness is completely unreliable. If they concede that and put him in the infirmary for treatment, they are giving up their case. That officer didn't have the rank to make that decision, but when he swore, it meant he knew the significance of Adam not knowing who we are. I'm worried about Adam, but he should be out of there soon. He's no good to them now."

It worked as Ben predicted. The commanding officer went to see Adam too and held a meeting with the other command grade officers. Soon after that, Adam was taken to the infirmary and Ben was called to the commander's office.

"Your son is in the infirmary. He will be released to your custody tomorrow."

"What if he isn't fit enough to travel?"

"He traveled here in that condition. Surely, he can travel to your ranch. I noticed you have a carriage with you. You can use that for a comfortable ride for him. He resisted a lawful detention so there is no liability with us. As far as we are concerned, this case is closed."

Once Ben was able to tell the others what he had been told, Hoss wasn't sure he could believe what he had heard. "Pa, that's it. We get ta take Adam home?"

"Yes, the officers who were here to try the case said that any defense attorney, no matter how bad, would know that an identification by a man who was so confused he didn't know his own father and brother was going to be considered an unreliable witness. The whole case was based on Adam being able to identify the Paiute who were there that day or at least enough of them to have a significant trial. Without him, they have nothing."

"They givin' up awful easy."

"Seems like they didn't have their hearts in it from the start."

Joe was smiling. He and Sierra were waiting for their chance to see Adam. However, when the doctor came out, they were disappointed by what he said.

"I think it best if you wait. I want to give him a bath, get some fluid into him, and then see if I can get him to make any sense. All he does is ask questions and most of those are the same over and over again."

"I noticed that too, doctor. Do you think he will recover?" Ben was very concerned.

"Hard to say with any brain injury. He seems dazed and confused, and his vision seems affected, but I can't see anything other than that. He can walk with assistance so he is not affected physically too much other than the dizziness. Hopefully he will make a good recovery."

"Can we stay with him tonight?"

"One of you can stay with him. We don't have adequate facilities for a woman here so I would suggest the lady stay here. I can let her use my office to sleep. The rest of you, I'm afraid will have to bivouac like any of the extra troops who come here. You might be able to get a tent for one night's use at the supply room. We're not at full force at the moment so there should be a tent or two available."

Disappointed that he couldn't be with Adam, Ben was at least satisfied that someone who cared about his future would be close to him all night. They did get a tent and Sierra stayed in the infirmary with Adam who slept through the night after receiving a bath, water, food, and a warm bed with a blanket. In the morning, Adam was as drowsy and confused as before but looked better by all estimations. Hoss and Joe got him out to the carriage and helped him into the back settling him against the bedrolls that Hoss and Ben had with them and the carriage blankets. The doctor donated a blanket from the infirmary to cover him. Looking content and comfortable, Adam closed his eyes and appeared to go to sleep. Joe climbed up on the seat to drive with Sierra beside him, but she looked back at Adam.

"It's not that I don't trust your driving, Joe, but what if he slips from that seat?"

"I thought about that too. Maybe we ought to tie him in."

Hearing that, Sierra looked a bit shocked even though Ben and Hoss thought Joe might have a good idea there. Looking at all three of them, she realized they didn't see a problem with that. It was a different kind of world, and she was going to have to get used to it, but she did have an alternative to offer.

"I could sit back there and make sure he didn't fall. That way, if he needed a drink or was in any distress, I would know that right away too."

"Sorry, little brother, but I guess I'm likin' her ideas better."

Inexplicably, Sierra thought she saw a smile briefly appear on Adam before he again looked like he was sleeping. The doctor was beside the carriage and frowned slightly staring at Adam as if he wondered if he had seen the same thing. When Adam had no more reaction though, he wished them well and returned to the infirmary. Sierra squeezed onto the seat as well as she could and Joe handed her the canteen, which she set on the floor at her feet. Taking one of Adam's hands in hers, she declared that she was ready. They drove out of the gate, and in about a half mile, she felt Adam's hand squeeze hers. She whispered to him.

"Adam, do you know who I am?"

He squeezed her hand twice and she smiled broadly. The rest of the ride that morning was very pleasant for her. When they stopped for a break to rest the horses and water them, she spoke softly and asked Ben to come to the carriage. She turned to Adam and spoke even more softly.

"Adam, your father is right here now."

Without opening his eyes, Adam spoke in a whisper. "Hi, Pa. Sorry I didn't say anything earlier."

Shocked, Ben said nothing at first. "You know who I am!"

"Yes, I did yesterday too. I'd been faking for days now to avoid answering their questions. When you showed up, I realized what I could do. I took the faking a step further."

"Son, if they find out, you could be charged with a major crime."

"The only ones who know are you, Hoss, Joe, and Sophie. I'm hoping none of you will tell."

Still adjusting to the news, Ben looked at Sierra. "Sophie?"

Looking back at Ben, Sierra shrugged. "I did tell you it was a complicated story. He's not used to my new name yet."

Turning back to Adam, Ben had to ask. "What about the rest of it? Is it all a sham?"

"No, only the memory problem was a necessary sham. I had to do it to protect the Paiute and prevent people being killed, probably on both sides. I'm not faking the rest of it. Loud noises hurt. I feel like I want to retch most of the time. I can't stand up by myself, and I can't focus my eyes very well. Otherwise, I'm fine."

"Do you remember what happened?"

"Not all of it. I assume I was hit on the head but I don't remember that happening. I remember waking up on a boat and being sick. I remember hearing voices and having trouble understanding what they were saying."

"And when you did understand, you acted as if you didn't."

"That's about it."

"How is riding in the carriage affecting you?"

"I wouldn't mind a few more stops."

That said a lot because Ben knew Adam wouldn't ask for that unless he was feeling quite a bit of distress. He wasn't sure they would make it back to the Ponderosa at this pace so he sent Hoss home to get supplies to meet them if that happened. That evening, they rendezvoused with Hoss who had a wagon with a mattress in it and a canvas cover. He brought a tent too for Sierra to use but she said she wouldn't mind sleeping in the carriage if the men wanted the tent. Hoss and Joe were grateful for that because they thought their father could use the more comfortable sleep he could get on a cot in the tent. Hoss and Joe took turns sleeping by the campfire and keeping watch. In the morning, they finished the trip to the Ponderosa and were able to travel faster because Adam was more comfortable in the wagon.

Once they had Adam settled in his bed, they gathered around the fireplace to relax and talk about what had happened. In agreement that the Army probably never wanted to pursue the case anyway, they thought there wasn't going to be a problem there as Adam recovered physically and his memory 'returned' which is what the doctor had told them he hoped would happen. It wouldn't seem odd to anyone. Except perhaps Josiah Weed might have an entirely different reaction.

"We know he must have paid off a lot of people to get this case this far. Now it's in shambles and can't be resurrected. He'll find that out from the Army soon enough. They'll send a report to the War Department and the people he paid off will let him know. I don't know how much money he has, but this has got to leave him in a terrible position. He's going to want to exact revenge for his losses."

"What are you sayin', Pa? You think he's gonna come after Adam?"

"Adam was the key to this case, and now he's the reason the case fell apart. So, yes, I think there's a real possibility he'll come after Adam. He's greedy and wants timberland and mineral rights. He will do anything to get them. If he had to kill all of us to get the Ponderosa, he'd do it."

Looking around at the others who sat silently thinking about what had been said, Joe asked the most important question. "What do we do about Weed?"

Sierra answered first. "In my garden, I pulled the weeds and discarded them. I have to get my resources here and reinvest them. Is there any way that could help?"

"Sierra, thank you for the offer, but there's no need for you to help. My son will be fine. We'll find a way to deal with Weed without putting you at risk."

"Mister Cartwright, by now, he knows I came here to warn you about what was happening and alert you to the trouble Adam was in. I'm probably already at risk."

"Pa, I think she's right. What we need is a plan, but the best planner we got is upstairs in bed and in no shape to help out."

"Nonsense. Adam can't ride or write, but he proved he could think. Tomorrow, we need to ask him to help us come up with a plan."

"Boys, I think she's correct. Weed is going to do something and we have no way to predict what that is. We need a plan to point him in the direction we want him to go."

With Adam home safely and Weed not yet a threat, they slept well that night with the idea that the next day, they would begin planning their offensive against Weed. It was about time to weed the garden. In the morning, that planning began in earnest with Adam ready with some ideas as they all crowded into his bedroom after breakfast. It was dim in there with the curtains closed and the lamps turned down, but they only needed to talk so it worked out.

"I slept so much when we got back yesterday that I woke very early. I couldn't get up to do anything so I laid here thinking."

"Oh-oh, that's always a dangerous thing." Joe giggled and the rest of them frowned until Adam smiled.

"I never thought I would miss that, but I did. It does make me smile."

Although Adam's idea was fairly simple, it did involve Sierra, which made the others nervous. None of them liked the idea of putting her in the middle of the plan. However, she made it clear she wanted to do it so there was no question they could proceed. Ben had one caution though.

"I want have someone in town to watch over her and protect her if needed."

Everyone agreed that made sense too so arrangements were made for that before Sierra headed back to town later that day to put the plan into motion. She got a room at the same hotel where Josiah Weed was staying and waited for the opportunity to begin the operation to weed the garden.

Before Sierra left for town, she visited briefly with Adam. Although he couldn't walk well yet, he asked Hoss to help him from the bed so he could sit in a chair to talk with Sierra. Smiling to see him dressed and waiting in a chair, she appreciated that he had taken that effort to see her off on her mission. He was more concerned than that.

"From what I've learned, Josiah Weed is a dangerous man. Don't underestimate him. You'll have some protection, but he can't stick too close to you. He will be with you when you're the most vulnerable, but you'll be on your own much of the time."

"I know that. From what your father tells me though, he doesn't do any of his own dirty work. He has others do it for him. As long as I remember that, I should be able to avoid a problem. Your father and Hoss have assured me that if I leave town, they will have men watching my back."

It was Adam's turn to smile knowing his father and Hoss would have augmented his plan with additional protection for Sierra. He guessed they probably had someone outside doing guard duty on the house too. As he thought about that, he knew he didn't have to ask, and it was as if Sierra could read his mind.

"Your father must have some military experience. He sets a perimeter like a general. My father spent some time in the military, and he thinks like that." For a moment, tears filled her eyes. She hadn't been able to spend the last weeks and months of her father's life with him. It protected her life and her brother, but it was still difficult.

"Your father gave me a letter to give to you when you started feeling like this. My valise is by the desk if you would get it, please."

After Sierra got Adam's valise for him, he pulled a thick envelope from it and handed it to her. "He said to read the messages when you miss him most, and he said there are a few things in there from your mother too. He said your brother would ship some things to you later when things were more settled, and he assured me that there would be a time when you could go back home to stay or to visit."

"He's going to do something to Hamilton!"

"That was my guess too. He wanted you away and safe while he and your brother carried out their plot. I'm not sure what they were going to do, but he wanted you to go with me so that nothing could happen to you. It's why he was so willing to send you with me when I suggested it. It fit well into whatever they were planning to do. I'm sure they waited long enough so that everyone would know you had nothing to do with whatever they intended to do. They trusted me to keep you safe. Please don't do anything to make me fail in that pledge to them."

"Trust me, Adam. I won't take any foolish chances. I'll do only what we planned."

"I do trust you."

"I trust you too."

It seemed the tension in the room had risen ten times as they talked softly and almost intimately in the dim light. Sierra leaned forward and touched Adam's cheek. He reached up and put his hand on her cheek to pull her close and kissed her freckled nose.

"Now, go do your quest, fair lady."

Quietly, Sierra left the room feeling exhilarated and disappointed at the same time. She dismissed thinking about that, and she focused on what she had to do next. Hoss had loaded her carriage and had it ready for her. He and Ben wished her good luck and bid her farewell. The ride into town gave her time to practice the look she needed for the story she was ready to tell as soon as anyone talked to her.

Chapter 6

In town, it didn't take long for Josiah Weed to approach her. Apparently, his curiosity was like many of his other appetites and needed to be satisfied. He stood by her table at dinner and demanded her attention although she did act as if she was going to try to ignore him until she no longer could.

"Miss, I was not able to miss seeing such a beautiful woman unescorted without offering my company to you as an escort and dinner companion. My name is Josiah Weed and the staff here at the hotel can vouchsafe for my impeccable credentials as a gentleman you can trust. It would be an honor if you would grant my request."

Repulsed by his appearance and his supercilious way of speaking, Sierra managed to sound quite ladylike in her response even though she was peevish. "Well, yes that would be acceptable, sir. At least you don't look like that poor excuse for a mule that I had the sad experience of trusting until recently."

Although Josiah was sure he knew to whom she referred, he had to ask as a waiter pulled out a chair for him to sit. "Who would that be, my dear lady?"

"That man would be Adam Cartwright! He was going to be my one true love, I thought, and then he got himself into all sorts of trouble." Turning to Josiah, she leaned toward him slightly so she could speak more softly and not be overheard. "You would never believe it of someone who's supposed to be from such a prominent family, but he got arrested. I thought it must have been a mistake, but they insisted he was the one they needed. Now he's feebleminded. He doesn't even recognize me. He doesn't know his own father and brothers either."

"Truly?"

"Yes, he sits in his bedroom in near darkness and has to be fed and cared for like an imbecile."

"So, Ben Cartwright's bright right hand man will never help him out again?"

"I can't see how. He's hopeless."

"What will you do now?"

"I suppose go back to San Francisco for now and then perhaps back home, but the humiliation is terrible. I don't know how I can face my family again."

"But none of this is your fault."

"Oh, I know. Josiah, you have been so wonderful, but this has gotten me so upset again. I would like to go to my room to lie down. Could we do this another time, please."

"But you're leaving town."

"I could stay a day or two if it meant I could have lunch or dinner with you before I go."

Sierra looked so hopeful that it reinforced Josiah's opinion of women. They were all ready to go after a rich man. She had lost one and was looking for another. He didn't mind though. She was taller than he was but most women were. She had freckles too which he didn't like, but the shining brown hair and blue eyes with the beautiful features were enough to offset that imperfection. "My dear, that is very nice of you. Let's plan on dinner tomorrow then. Perhaps, you would consent to have dinner in my suite. It's much more private than this, and we could talk without worrying about being overheard."

"Well, we don't know each other that well yet. Perhaps we should have lunch together first to get to know each other better before dinner in your suite."

Josiah was thinking she played that rather well. He thought he was going to enjoy the game of getting this one into his bed so he agreed to lunch the next day. He alerted his men to keep an eye on her though to be sure that she wasn't playing him.

When Sierra got to her room, she was on edge and nearly screamed when a man's voice greeted her. Joe nearly had to grab her and muffle her, but she managed to get some control before she let loose with noise that would have alerted everyone.

"I'm sorry, Joe. This all sounded so much easier when we talked about it."

"I'm here now. You can talk to me, and I'll help any way I can."

"How did you get in here?"

"I, ah, know a little bit about locks. Now, how did it go? It will probably help you to talk about it. Did he act the way we expected?"

"Even faster than you told me. I'm invited to his suite for dinner tomorrow. I suggested lunch and he accepted that, but I need a plan to get out of dinner."

"We'll come up with something. Pa plans to find a way to run into him tomorrow. Seeing him as he heads to lunch with you might work well."

"How is Adam?"

Joe grinned. "Are you sure you two are only friends. He's up there in his room at home like a caged cougar. If he could walk by himself, I think he would have found a way to be here, and you're worried about him."

"Can't friends be concerned about friends?"

"Sure, they can. Now, we have enlisted a couple of friends to look after you tomorrow. They may not look like the kind of people you are used to seeing, but they will be there should you need them."

A knock on the door startled them and caused Joe to jump up drawing his pistol. As he stood to the back of the door, he motioned for Sierra to ask who it was.

"Room service, ma'am. I have your tea and strawberries."

Sierra whispered to Joe that she hadn't ordered anything, but he told her to accept them anyway. The waiter pushed the cart into the room, and as Sierra reached for her purse, he told her the tip was already paid. After he smiled and left, Joe shoved the door closed and locked it before taking a look at the cart. He found the note under the plate of strawberries. After reading it, he told Sierra that their plans had changed.

"Weed moved fast. There are men watching at each end of the hallway. I won't be able to leave until after you do in the morning. Candy is downstairs and will make sure nothing else happens. I'm sorry, but we have to share the room."

"You're staying the night in my room?"

"I'd go out the window but it's a three story drop from this room. Don't worry. I won't do anything you have to worry about. Meanwhile, we have tea and strawberries."

Trying to make light of a serious situation did help. They spent a short time talking about what would happen the next day, and then Sierra asked again about Adam. This time, Joe told her how he she was doing and more.

"I get the feeling that you wish you and Adam were more than friends."

"I'm a married woman."

"You're soon to be a divorced woman or declared legally dead if your evaluation of your husband is correct. That shouldn't be the main issue."

"Adam has been involved with enough women who weren't right for him. I don't presume to be the one who can change that. I have made a lot of mistakes in my life."

"He's made plenty too. We all have. He told me once that mistakes are how we learn if we're smart enough to accept them and make necessary changes."

"That does sound like something he would say."

"I think he would tell you tonight that you should follow your heart."

"Joe, it's not somewhere I can go alone. What good does it do if I'm the only one who feels it?"

"Give him time. I think he'll figure it out."

"Time is something I have plenty of because of him." Sierra smiled then. "I'd like to get some sleep now."

"I'll turn my back and you can get ready for bed. Tell me when you're in and I'll sleep on the couch there. I've slept in places that are a lot worse so don't worry about me."

"That's not what I'm worried about."

Thinking for only a moment, Joe understood. He pulled a blanket from the stack of extra bedding in the closet there and rigged a screen from the closet door to the bureau which he moved slightly. He moved the chamber pot behind that screen without saying anything and moved a small table with a lamp over there too turning the lamp down low but leaving it burning low enough to give enough light to see. Sierra thanked him, and they were all set for the night. It was somewhat primitive and would require some accommodation by both of them, but it was a minor inconvenience considering the task they had to accomplish. The next morning, Sierra took care of dressing and headed out to breakfast. Joe waited what he considered a safe length of time and then left too slipping out the back door of the hotel and away without being seen.

Later, Josiah Weed met Sierra for lunch. He had come up with a plan in the meantime. Sierra noted that Weed seemed noticeably agitated and somewhat angry. She asked him the obvious question.

"Mister Weed, you seem upset. Perhaps we should postpone our lunch to another time?"

"No, more than ever, I would like to talk with you. I had a most disturbing conversation with Ben Cartwright."

"Why? Did he say something about me? Because I was not after his son for his money no matter what he thinks. I have money of my own. It may not be as much as he has, but I am not hunting for a rich husband. Honest, I'm not. You believe me, don't you?"

"Yes, of course. Now, I have to tell you what Ben just said to me."

"I'm so glad you believe me."

"Yes, forget about that and listen to me. I saw Ben Cartwright on my way here." Weed's voice had taken on a commanding tone. Sierra was quiet and listened. Weed recounted the conversation he had had with Ben as he walked to the hotel to meet Sierra for lunch. He had seen Ben smiling and found that odd. He recalled their conversation.

"I find it odd that you can smile so much now that your son has been declared feeble minded."

"Ah, Weed, no one declared him that. They told us to take him home and we did. He's fine now. Meanwhile your plan to remove the Paiute is in shambles now, isn't it? Adam's little problem took care of that, didn't it?"

"The savages will be removed yet. Decent people need to be protected from them."

"Adam isn't the only one who can come up with a way to stop you. Whatever you decide to do, we'll come up with something to put a stop to it."

"Cartwright, you aren't strong enough to stop me."

"We did this time, didn't we?"

With that last remark, Ben had walked away. As Weed thought about all that he had said, he began to suspect that Adam's memory loss had been a sham. He would never be able to prove it, but he wasn't about to let him get away with it either. He had the perfect weapon to point at him and walked to the hotel to put a plan in motion. By the time he finished telling this story, Sierra was feigning outrage.

"He faked it to get rid of me?"

"Apparently he did. Ben hinted that he is of sound mind and always was. Apparently, it was all a sham."

"I could kill him for this. Well, not literally, but I'm so mad."

"He certainly ruined some plans I had as well by not naming the Paiute who murdered whites here." Weed paused as if he was thinking. "Say, perhaps you should check this out for us. You could go see him as a concerned friend and see if you can tell if he's faking now that you know he might be."

"What excuse could I use to go out there?"

"There's a new chocolate and pasty shop in town. You could buy some and bring them out to the supposed invalid as a friend."

"I could do that."

"I'll get them for you."

"You don't have to do that. I could get them myself just before I go."

"No, you go rent a carriage and I'll go get the pastries and chocolates."

In a hurry, Weed did some of his own work getting a vial from his room and then purchasing the pastries and preparing them in his special way to achieve his purpose. Handing them to Sierra when she pulled the carriage to a stop by the hotel, he smiled at her and told her to try to be back in time for their dinner. All of Weed's activities were watched by Deputy Clem Foster.

Sierra was relieved to have a reason not to go to dinner with Weed even though she promised she would be back in time and smiled when she said it. When she left town, she was followed and those men were there until she neared the Ponderosa house. Clem rode with Joe, Candy, and two hands who had been helping in town as they watched from the ridges until the two men stopped. Then Clem and Joe left the others with Joe telling them to keep watch on the two men as he and Clem rode to the house to let them know what they had seen.

Doctor Martin had come back to the ranch with Ben who insisted he wanted him to check Adam. Sitting in the blue chair, Adam was downstairs courtesy of Hoss and Ben who had helped him walk down the steps. Sierra smiled to see him and sat down on the settee exhausted by what she had done.

"You look tired."

"I am. This was harder work than I thought it would be. And nothing happened even though Joe had to stay in my room all night. With those guards in the hall, he couldn't leave after we talked. He was a perfect gentleman though. I thought you should know."

About that time, Joe walked in and heard the end of Sierra's statement. He looked at Adam and saw what he thought was a flash of jealous anger. It was replaced quickly though by a smile so he was relieved by that.

"Thank you. Now, why are you here? A poisoned dagger? A derringer? What foul weapon did he give you to use to kill me?"

Grinning, Sierra anticipated the surprise her answer would bring. "He bought pastries for you. He said I should find out if you were faking or were really suffering a memory loss."

Ben took the pastries from her and looked around the room at the men there who all nodded. He turned back to Hoss. "I'm sorry, Hoss, but we're going to have to feed these to one of the hogs to see what happens."

Sierra was the only one who was surprised. "You think he poisoned them? He only had a few minutes to do anything."

Doctor Martin asked to examine the pastries. He sniffed them and looked them over. "I can detect a slight odor. I think I know what it may be but let's see how the hog reacts."

Hoss suggested an ornery hog and they separated that one from the others and then fed the pastries to it. It gobbled them up quite happy to have the sweets making them feel somewhat guilty over what they were doing. A very short time later, the hog began to wobble and then it fell over and became still. It didn't take long for its heart to stop. Doctor Martin turned to the others.

"I suspect the pastries had a high level of prussic acid. They would have killed Adam. If he had shared them, I'm not sure what would have happened."

Looking at Clem, Ben asked if he had enough.

"I have plenty of witnesses to this, and I saw him get the pastries, and I saw him open the box and do something with the pastries. Yes, I would say we've got plenty. I'll ride back to town, and we'll arrest him. We'll arrest his men and charge them with conspiracy. With the offer of a light sentence or perhaps release, they'll talk. I'd like Sierra to come in and give her statement to Roy too."

Seeing how pale Sierra was, Ben wrapped an arm around her. "Will tomorrow be all right?"

"That will be fine, Ben. We have enough to arrest him. We only need her statement to wrap up the case."

The group returned to the house to tell an anxious Adam what had happened. Relieved that it was over, he was concerned about Sierra, but she asked only if she could go to back to town. Ben said he thought she should stay the night and she readily agreed and went to a guest room to rest. Ben sat down beside Adam.

"What are your feelings about Sierra, Adam?"

Grinning, Adam did his best to evade that question. "Well, Pa, why don't you come right out and ask me what you're thinking?"

"That's not going to work. I think you need to examine your feelings. From what I can tell, that young lady is in love with you. Yet, I can't tell how you feel."

"Pa, she's not in love with me. We're friends and she's grateful for what I did for her. You're seeing something that's not there."

"Perhaps you're not seeing what's there. Sometimes what is so familiar is what we take for granted and don't realize what we had until it's gone. You might want to think about that."

Standing then, Ben went to talk to Hoss and Joe who had a difficult time holding back the grins seeing their older brother left speechless. That didn't happen much. That evening at dinner, Adam was quiet and after dinner, he remained that way. Sierra asked if he was feeling tired or sick.

"No, I'm sorry. I have a lot on my mind."

The next morning, Adam insisted that he wanted to go to town with Sierra when she gave her statement to Roy. When they walked into the jail, Week heard her voice and yelled out that she had bought the pastries and he was innocent. She walked back to the cells to confront him, and Adam walked with her with Roy and Clem following behind. Weed stopped shouting with his small pouty mouth falling open when he saw Adam and Sierra together. Neither of them said anything, but Weed began shouting obscenities at them and screaming incoherently about what they had done to him. He staggered and fell against the bars and to the floor. Thinking he was faking, Clem and Roy did nothing at first but moved to unlock the cell when Weed began frothing at the mouth. They got him on the bunk and Doctor Martin was summoned. Weed had suffered a severe stroke and died later that day.

The Paiute were safe and there was not going to be any trouble stirred up in Nevada. Ben decided that it might be a good idea for them to travel up to the Paiute camp to explain to them what had happened. They likely had heard some rumors and a factual account of the whole thing would be best to keep things calm. Adam said it was time for him to go to the Paiute and clear the air. Sierra asked if she could accompany them. She and Adam rode in a wagon filled with supplies with Ben riding beside them on Buck. Their reception in the Paiute camp was somewhat hostile at first until their news was shared as well as the supplies. They had heard about the planned trial and were amused at the way Adam had ended that threat. A meal was prepared and shared. When it was time for them to leave, a carved wooden necklace was given to Sierra. Very pleased with it, she immediately put it around her neck and got everyone smiling except Adam. Each time Ben looked over at her, he was still grinning even when they were miles from the camp.

"Pa, that's enough."

Chuckling, Ben rode ahead leaving Adam to explain to Sierra because Ben knew he would have to do that.

"Adam, why does your father keep getting that look, and why don't you like my necklace? To me, it's very pretty and I thought it was so sweet of them to give it to me."

Sighing deeply, Adam looked over at her. "It's the symbolism that's the problem not the necklace. The necklace is beautifully carved."

"Symbolism?"

"It's a corn cob."

"Yes."

"Corn is the fertility symbol."

"Fertility? Oh!"

Then she started to laugh. Adam had to join in. When they stopped laughing, he had a serious thought to share.

"I think you ought to think about staying here for a while so we can sort out our feelings for one another."

"I don't have anything to sort out."

For several miles, they rode in silence until Adam pulled the wagon to a stop. Ben noticed and looked back to see his son and Sierra with their arms wrapped around each other and kissing. He nodded and rode toward home.


End file.
